by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Jun 4, 2025 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
In November 2022, Arizona voters narrowly approved Prop. 308, making Arizona the 24th state in the nation giving taxpayer-subsidized, in-state tuition rates to illegals. Its narrow passage on the ballot was preceded by its razor-thin passage at the state legislature, slipping out because two former Republican legislators, who since lost their seats to primary challengers, rolled their caucus and voted in lock step with Democrats to force it for a vote.
After making the ballot, the measure was bankrolled by a small but well-financed cohort within the political class, business community, and immigration activist organizations funded by George Soros. Even a handful of Republican elected officials and candidates jumped on board, including a few city council members and current candidate for the Republican nomination for Arizona Governor, Karrin Taylor Robson.
It was in part billed by proponents as only applying to “Dreamers,” or recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program established under the Obama administration. In reality, it allowed for anyone here illegally to get in-state tuition rates as long as they spent at least two years in an Arizona high school—signaling to the rest of the world that if you enter here illegally in time to go to an Arizona high school, American taxpayers will subsidize your tuition at our universities.
But they hid from the public one important fact. It unequivocally violates federal law…
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by Matthew Holloway | May 26, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A Mexican national identified as Jose Herrera Daniel, 56, of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, was arrested on May 13th during a brazen attempt to smuggle over 6,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from Arizona into Mexico via the Douglas Port of Entry. Daniel was charged the next day for attempting to illegally export ammunition from the United States into Mexico as part of “Operation Take Back America” per the Department of Justice.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), District of Arizona, the criminal complaint against the accused smuggler alleges that during a search of Daniel’s vehicle at the Port of Entry in Douglas, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection K-9 officer trained to detect weapons, ammunition, and currency alerted handlers to the vehicle. The suspect’s vehicle was then sent through a scanner which detected multiple anomalies in both the driver and passenger side rocker panels leading to a physical search that yielded thousands of rounds of ammunition hidden in plastic bags.
As described by the USAO, Operation Take Back America is “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
The arrest and charge of Daniel would appear to align with an internal memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche describing the operation.
The memo from Blanche directs the DOJ to pursue charges for the most serious, readily provable offense and emphasizes “the Department’s focus on illegal immigration, human trafficking and smuggling, and crimes by Cartels and TCOs such as Tren de Aragua (TdA) and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Jonathan Eberle | May 25, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced Friday that 310 individuals were charged with immigration-related offenses between May 10 and May 16, as part of a weeklong federal enforcement initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and associated criminal activity.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the charges include 125 cases involving illegal reentry into the United States and 170 cases of illegal entry. An additional 15 individuals were charged with human smuggling offenses, allegedly transporting undocumented immigrants into or within Arizona.
The enforcement actions were supported by a broad coalition of federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
All charges were filed via criminal complaint. As noted in the release, a criminal complaint is a formal accusation and does not imply guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The cases fall under Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative described as targeting illegal immigration, cartel activity, and transnational crime. The operation coordinates federal resources, including those from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Officials have characterized the initiative as part of a broader strategy to “repel the invasion of illegal immigration” and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not indicate how many of those charged remain in custody or when initial court appearances are scheduled. Further proceedings will be held in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | May 16, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed HB 2700 on Monday which would have compelled the Arizona State Board of Education to include Geography in its prescribed competency requirements for graduation from high school and defined that instruction to include instruction accurately referring to the Gulf of America.
In her veto letter to Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro, Hobbs chose to adopt an adversarial, scolding tone toward Republican leaders.
Hobbs wrote, “Today, I vetoed House Bill 2700. Arizonans want us to work together to lower costs, secure the border, create jobs, and protect public education. Instead of joining with me to do that, this Legislature has chosen to attempt to dictate how teachers refer to geographic features. I encourage you to refocus your time and energy on solving real problems for Arizonans.”
State Rep. Teresa Martinez (R-LD16) held a different view however and emphasized the importance of accurate and patriotic instruction for Arizona students: “It’s important to start teaching pro-America to our students. What better way to promote a patriotic country and teach children about patriotism than to start calling it Gulf of America and taking pride in that?”
While making her disapproval of the bill clear, Hobbs called upon Republican legislators to “work together to lower costs, secure the border, create jobs, and protect public education,” despite her recent vetoes, which have thrown aside meaningful reforms in all four policies.
In 2023, Hobbs infamously vetoed SB 1184 which would have eliminated rental taxes that drive up the monthly rent of millions of Arizonans, and SB 1063 which would have banned sales taxes on groceries. The sponsor of SB 1063, Senator Sonny Borrelli, said that Hobbs “would rather have windfall taxes go to cities on the backs of people that need to survive on essential items like groceries consumed at home.”
On Border Security, Hobbs vetoed the Arizona Immigration Cooperation and Enforcement (ICE) Act, SB 1164 this April, and SB 1610 earlier this month, which would have required county detention facilities to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by providing access to data on illegal aliens arrested for serious crimes.
On the subject of Jobs, Hobbs drew severe criticism from Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp (R-LD29) when she vetoed SB 1584.
“The Governor despicably vetoing this bill demonstrates her support for discrimination and a lack of leadership for refusing to push back against fellow Democrats who support these unethical hiring practices,” Shamp said at the time. ” I am extremely disappointed, yet not surprised, that Hobbs continues to appeal to the radical left with her tone-deaf veto decisions, rather than support legislation to reform workplace policies that prioritize anything other than talent and hard work. It’s truly petrifying that we have a governor who can, without shame, prioritize discrimination and favoritism, over unity and respect for every Arizonan.”
Hobbs also vetoed another school related bill, SB 1050, sponsored by Senator Vince Leach (R-LD17) in April. The bipartisan measure would have directed tax dollars from Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET) to schools by prohibiting the abatement of school district-designated tax revenues. “This was a missed opportunity by the Governor,” Leach told AZ Free News. “She says she supports education funding, but her veto suggests otherwise.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Jonathan Eberle | May 15, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed another piece of Republican-sponsored immigration enforcement legislation, drawing criticism from GOP leaders who say the measure would have helped safeguard Arizona communities from crime linked to undocumented immigrants.
SB 1088, sponsored by Senate Government Committee Chairman Jake Hoffman (R-LD15), would have required all levels of Arizona government — including state agencies, counties, municipalities, and independent contractors — to comply with federal immigration laws. The bill also sought to formalize cooperation with federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a statement following the veto, Hoffman accused Hobbs of endangering public safety for ideological reasons.
“Arizonans have long suffered under the callous and inhumane open-border policies promoted and enforced by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Alejandro Mayorkas, and Katie Hobbs,” Hoffman said. “There is no logical justification for Hobbs’ veto on this reasonable bill… but she remains committed to her radical ideology of open borders and appeasement for cartels.”
The Governor’s office has not yet issued a detailed statement explaining her decision on SB 1088, but in previous vetoes of similar legislation, Hobbs has cited concerns over constitutionality, local control, and the potential for civil rights violations. Her administration has emphasized a need for comprehensive federal immigration reform rather than piecemeal state-level mandates.
This marks the latest in a string of immigration-related bills Hobbs has rejected this year. In March, she vetoed SB 1610, which would have required county jails to provide ICE with identifying information and access to certain inmates charged with crimes like burglary, assault, or offenses involving serious injury or death. Another proposal, SB 1164 — dubbed the “AZ ICE Act” — would have banned any policies that limit law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Both bills were backed by GOP lawmakers and part of a broader Republican effort to crack down on illegal immigration.
With a divided government in Arizona — Republicans controlling the Legislature and Democrats holding the Governor’s office — immigration enforcement has become a recurring flashpoint. Hobbs’ vetoes signal a clear resistance to Republican attempts to expand state involvement in immigration matters.
Hoffman and other GOP lawmakers have indicated they may continue to introduce similar legislation and are expected to highlight the vetoes in upcoming political campaigns. Republicans argue these measures are necessary to support law enforcement and curb crime, while Democrats say the bills could open the door to overreach and civil rights violations. Arizona’s legislative battles are likely to remain a key battleground in the broader debate over how immigration enforcement should be handled — and by whom.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
